The Gaang's Journey Through Life
by stylinorcas
Summary: my take on what happened between Sozin's Comet and katara's death
1. Chapter 1

The Gaang's Journey Through Life

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the last airbender or any of the characters

A/N: This is one year after the finale. The events of "the Promise" have happened. Aang and Toph are 14, Katara is 16, Sokka, Suki and Mai are 17 and Zuko is 18. Mai and Zuko are back together, Sokka and Suki are still together as well as Aang and Katara. Enjoy!

The Gaang is sitting on the beach at Ember Island. They had decided to take a weeklong vacation from their various duties. Zuko, Aang and Sokka, who is acting as ambassador to the southern water tribe, are taking a break from the tiring meetings they have had to endure, Toph is letting her metalbending students take a "break", they have A LOT of homework, Suki, who has been training Ty Lee to take her place is going 2 stay with Sokka after their vacations and Mai and Katara, who have stayed with their boyfriends are just enjoying some quiet time. Aang and Katara are having bending battles in the water, Toph is practicing her sandbending, Sokka is making yet another horrible sand sculpture of Suki while she watches amusedly, and Zuko and Mai are just laying on the beach enjoying each other's company. Suddenly a stray wave crashes into Sokka's statue completely obliterating it and soaking Sokka in the process.

"What is it with you people and ruining my art?" Sokka whines

"Face it, Snozzles, it wasn't even art?" Toph replied in her usual raucous manner. Everyone laughed accept for Sokka. Even Mai.  
"Sorry, Sokka" Aang said "want me to help you fix it?"

"Naw, it's time to eat anyway. So what are we having?"

"Why don't we change and eat at that new restaurant?" Zuko chimed in

"Great idea, Zuko. Come on Sokka let's get you dried of." Suki replied grabbing Sokka's hand and walking to the house. They are using Zuko's Ember Island house. Zuko gets his own room since it is his house, Sokka and Aang are sharing as well as Mai and Katara and Suki and Toph. The rest walked up to the house to get ready.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters**

Mai and Katara are in their room trying to figure out what to wear. Mai had already chosen a red long-sleeved dress with black trim on the sleeves, collar, and bottom as well as a black belt. She also put her knife belts, under her clothes, on her wrists, ankles, and waist, as well as an added knife on her thigh, totaling one hundred and thirteen weapons. Next she pulled the front of her jet-black hair into a bun and let the rest fall to her waist, before butting on her black flats. When she turned around she noticed that Katara was standing in her undergarments staring into her closet.

"Need help?" Mai deadpanned.

"I can't figure out what to wear. I want to wear blue because Aang loves that color on me but I can't figure out what outfit." Katara replied. Mai walked over to Katara's closet and pulled out a blue three-quarter sleeved dress that comes to her knees on one side and stoops to her ankles on the other with white one inch ruffles on the bottom and white trim on the over lapping collar, that is the same on most of her clothes, and white boots that come just below her knees.

"How about this?" Mai asked. Katara screamed

"It's perfect! Aang will love it!" she got dressed and put her hair in the same style she wore on the balcony the day she and Aang became a couple. She then put her water pouch on.

xxxxxx MEANEHILE IN TOPH AND SUKI'S ROOM xxxxxx

Suki walked to her closet and pulled out a dark green ankle-length dress with form-fitting long-sleeves and a slit on both sides that come up to the thigh, navy blue leggings and a wide belt as well as black boots that come just below her knees. She also grabbed her fans just in case. Meanwhile Toph went to her closet. She had put her two training outfits in a stone box on the floor and had separated her closet into three sections: blues and purples; reds; greens and browns; yellows and oranges and blacks, whites, and grays, so that she can somewhat get an idea of what matches. She grabbed a pair of green calf-length tights, a yellow dress similar to Suki's, and a black belt and wrist bands. She pulled her hair into her normal bun and her normal headband.

"Hey Fangirl." She had started calling Suki that. "Do I look okay?" Suki turned around and replied.

"You look really good Toph but can I fix your belt it's kind of crooked?"

"sure." Suki walked over to Toph and retied her belt.

As the four girls walked into the hallway they met and complimented each other on their appearances, although she received compliments Toph did not return them since she has no idea what the others look like.

"The boys are waiting for us." Toph interrupted the chatter by stating. The house was rebuilt by Toph and Aang, since it had been severely damaged by Zuko and Aang during their fight before Sozin's Comet, and is now completely made of stone for Toph's benefit. It has four bedrooms, including the master, and three baths; one between the girls' bedrooms, one directly across from it attached to the master bedroom and the boys' room and one downstairs. The bedrooms each have balconies and are on the second floor. On the main level is a bathroom, a large living room and a kitchen with a small dining room attached. All the counters are made of stone and the cabinets are made of metal so Toph doesn't need to have help getting what she needs. The house also has indoor plumbing, a luxury reserved for upper-class citizens and that is in the Gaang's houses in Ba Sing Se, and both water tribes as well as Zuko's palace. The girls walked down the steps and saw the boys' waiting on them. Aang, in his formal air nomad clothes, walked up to Katara, kissed her cheek and whispered.

"You're beautiful."

Sokka, in his normal clothes with his boomerang on his back whistled before grabbing Suki around the waist and kissing her soundly. Zuko was wearing a red silk robe with gold trim with red flames on the bottom and a black belt. He grabbed Mai's hand with an approving look and then turned to Toph.

"You look nice tonight, Toph."

"Thanks, Sparky." She replied "hey, Gloomy, do you always wear twenty pounds of metal to dinner?" she asked turning to Mai.

"yes." Mai replied

"I also see that Suki brought her fans, Sokka brought his boomerang and Katara has her water pouch. You guys do realize that we aren't in war any more right?" Aang asked

"Yes, we just like to be prepared for anything. You, Zuko and Toph almost always have bendable around so you are ready to defend yourselves all the time. The rest of us need a little help." Katara answered.

"Well, that's all fine and dandy! Now let's go eat, I'm _starving!_" Sokka yelled causing everyone to laugh.

"That's a good idea." Aang said. And they all walked out the door.

**A/N: sorry for rambling so much I just like to give a lot of details. I put what the house looked like so that you can kind of figure out where everything is and I had them rebuild it since when they showed it at least the top floor was made out of wood and I wanted to explain how Toph could 'see' the boys. Also I figured Toph wouldn't want to need help dressing so she came up with a way to tell what colors might match and tada Toph's awesome closet. Pease review I'd like to know what you think.**


	3. Chapter 3

Under the light of a nearly full moon, the Gaang walked down the street headed to the new restaurant.

"So Zuko, what kind of restaurant are we going to again?" asked Aang, who had his arm around Katara's waist, as he turned to Zuko.

"It has dishes from the three remaining nations. Sorry Aang but no one but you knows what the airbenders ate."

"That's fine I'm sure I can find something that I like,"

Suddenly a mob of fan girls surrounded Aang, Zuko, Mai and Katara, clamoring for the boys' attention.

"Sokka, why don't you guys go get the table. Tell them that we want a private room!" Aang called

"No prob, see you in a little bit!" Sokka replied

While Aang and Zuko were trying to divert the mob, Sokka, Suki and Toph walked the rest of the way to the restaurant. They walked in and were greeted by the hostess.

"Table for seven." Sokka said

"I'm sorry sir but our policy is no shoes no service and your friend is not wearing shoes."

"We want to talk to the manager."

"Wait one moment please." She walked into a back room. After about two minutes a slim well dressed man walked into the room.

"What seems to be the problem, sir?" The manager asked

"Well, the woman over there said that we can't eat here because she," pointing to Toph "isn't wearing shoes."

"That is true. We cannot serve a shoeless customer."

"So you know who you are talking about? This is _Toph…..Beifong_ the Avatar's _best friend."_

"Do you realize how many "friends" of the Avatar we get in here just to get free stuff? If we served all of them we would go out of business!" just then Aang, Zuko, Mai, and Katara walked into the restaurant. The manager's eyes grew wide.

"Hey, guys. Why aren't you sitting down yet?" Aang asked

"This dunderhead says ii can't eat here without shoes. And doesn't believe that I'm your friend." Toph spoke for the first time "and he was really grating on my nerves and was about to go through the roof." Zuko turned to the manager, who recognized him immediately and knelt to the floor.

"Please stand back up. We will go get some shoes for Toph but is she has to walk around blind she's going to be very mad and when she's mad she gets destructive." Zuko explained

"S-s-s-so this is the _real _Toph Beifong?"

"Yea we told you that already!" Toph replied, her patience wearing thin. The manager bowed to Toph and said

"I'm sorry master Beifong I didn't recognize you. Please forgive me."

"Fine. As long as we get a private room." Toph replied

"Of course follow me." They all followed him t the back of the restaurant and sat at the table.

"What can I get you to drink" the man asked

"I'll have jasmine tea." Zuko said

"Me, too" said Aang, Katara, Suki and Mai

"I'll take ginseng tea with a squirt of cactus juice." Said Sokka. A small amount of cactus juice in tea doesn't cause hallucinations like it does by its self because it is diluted.

"Make that two." Said Toph. Then the man walked away.

"So what are we going to do after this vacation is over?" Sokka started out the conversation by saying.

"well I'm gonna go help the Mechanist get the Southern Air Temple ready for the meetings that will take place the following week." Aang replied

"And I'm going with him." Katara said. Right then the hostess from before came with the drinks. After setting the drinks in front of the correct people she turned to Toph and bowed low

"I'm so sorry, miss. I didn't recognize you."

"That's fine." Toph replied

"Are you ready to order?"

"Yes, I will have a salad." Said Aang, Katara ordered stewed sea prunes, Sokka and Toph got the supreme meat platter, Suki got baked koi and mashed turnip potatoes and Mai and Zuko got komodo chicken.

"So Sokka, what are you doing next week?" Zuko asked in between bites.

"Well, me and Suki are going to Kyoshi island and then to the South Pole before heading to the Southern Air Temple." He replied

"I'm going back to my academy to resume training the lily-livers I mean students," Toph said

"And we are returning to the palace." Said Zuko. They had finished eating and had paid; now they were heading their own ways. Aang and Katara walked to the beach, Toph went to practice her earth bending, and Sokka and Suki disappeared as well as Mai and Zuko. Aang assumed that they went to find time alone with their partners.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own avatar: the last airbender or anything associated with it

The next morning Aang woke up before dawn like he lost always did. Growing up in the air temple, he had become accustomed to waking up early to meditate. After he started firebending he cannot sleep once the sun is up. As Aang was meditating, Zuko came to join him. They meditated in silence for about ten minutes before Aang broke the silence.

"Hey, Zuko?" he said quietly

"Yeah?" Zuko answered

"It's weird being a firebender and a waterbender at the same time. On the one hand I can't sleep in, even if I wanted to. And on the other hand the closer it gets to full moon the harder it is for me to get to sleep. I feel like I can't get any sleep and then have earth, water and firebending training. Truth is I'm exhausted, and on top of that I have all these meetings and trying to spend time with Katara. But I know if I told Katara this she would freak out and I don't want that."

"That's rough, buddy. But remember you have some of us who can understand what you're going through mean I know what it's like to feel like you have to get up at a certain time and I'm sure Katara knows what it feels like to not be able to get to sleep. Not to mention Sokka and I have to sit through those meetings too. We all know what it's like to have responsibility put on us so don't be afraid to come to us.

"He's right." They turned around to see Katara walking onto the balcony.

"Hi, Sweetie, did you just get up?" Aang asked as he stood up and kissed Katara on the cheek.

"Yea. I was just about to start breakfast, want to help?"

"Sure," Aang said "sre you coming Zuko?"

"No I'm going to go lay next to Mai and wait for her to wake up."

"Ok see you later" Aang followed Katara to the kitchen. While they were cooking pancakes, bacon, eggs and rice Suki walked into the room.

"Hey, guys. Is there anything I can help with?"

"Good morning Suki. Is my brother still sleeping?" Katara replied

"Yes, you know Sokka. He loves his sleep. By the way thanks for giving us some privacy last night."

"No problem. Do you want to set the table?"

"sure." They worked in companionable silence. About ten minutes later Zuko and Mai came in. Mai had he normal bored look on her face and Zuko had his arm around her waist.

"Aang, Sweetie, will you go wake up Toph for me?" Katara asked

"sure." He said and zoomed upstairs. A second later they heard Aang yell that it was time to wake up, then the sound of earthbending and Aang's screams followed by "never wake me up like that again Twinkle Toes!" after the four in the kitchen stopped laughing Suki said.

"And I'll go get up Sokka" she walked upstairs past a grumbling Toph and a bruised Aang.

"Next time Zuko can wake her up." He said. Suki got to the room Sokka was sleeping in and opened the door. He was sprawled out snoring and drooling as usual. She walked up to the bed with a mischievous smile on her face. She bent down and kissed him full on the lips. His eyes shot open and then closed as he started to kiss her back. Before it could get heated she pulled away and said

"Time to eat, sleepyhead." He got up and got dressed and then walked downstairs smiling. When they got to the kitchen Katara was just setting out the food, with help from Aang, and Mai and Zuko were having a conversation.

"Where's Toph?" Suki asked

"I asked her to go to get some milk." Katara answered. Just then Toph came in with the milk.

"Here's your milk Sugar Queen. Hey did Gloomy get a new ring?"

"How did you know?" Zuko asked

"What you think I wouldn't notice a new piece of _metal_ not to mention added weight on some one? Come on Sparky."

"Well, why doesn't everyone sit down and we can tell you our announcement." They all sat down and Zuko turned to Mai.

"Do you want to tell them?"

"Whatever, we are engaged." She said in her usual tone but everyone could see the happiness in her eyes and the blush on her cheeks, even Toph could feel her heartbeat quicken.

"When is the wedding?" Katara asked

"We were thinking in about six months." Zuko answered

"Wow that's awesome I'm really happy for you." Suki said. They finished their breakfast and then went about their day. They would be leaving in five days and are just enjoying their time together.


End file.
